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This question is about preschool teacher salaries.
What is a good starting salary for a Preschool Teacher?
A good starting salary for a preschool teacher is $20,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a preschool teacher in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for preschool teachers is $31,862, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a preschool teacher can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Preschool Teacher Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level preschool teacher earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Minnesota | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Washington | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| North Dakota | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Oregon | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Wyoming | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Vermont | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| New York | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| New Hampshire | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| District of Columbia | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| California | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Hawaii | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Alaska | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| New Jersey | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| New Mexico | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Colorado | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Massachusetts | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| South Dakota | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Connecticut | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Nebraska | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Maine | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Arizona | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Michigan | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Kansas | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| West Virginia | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Montana | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Illinois | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Texas | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Nevada | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Iowa | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Wisconsin | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Idaho | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Utah | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Maryland | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Virginia | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Rhode Island | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Delaware | $20,000 | $1,666 | $384 | $9.62 |
| Missouri | $20,000 | $1,666 | $384 | $9.62 |
| Kentucky | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Arkansas | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| Pennsylvania | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Indiana | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Ohio | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Tennessee | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Oklahoma | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| Louisiana | $17,000 | $1,416 | $326 | $8.17 |
| North Carolina | $16,000 | $1,333 | $307 | $7.69 |
| Georgia | $16,000 | $1,333 | $307 | $7.69 |
| Florida | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| Mississippi | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
| South Carolina | $13,000 | $1,083 | $250 | $6.25 |
| Alabama | $12,000 | $1,000 | $230 | $5.77 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Preschool Teacher Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level preschool teacher job is above the national average. Topping the list is Washington, DC.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Minneapolis, MN | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Washington, DC | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| New York, NY | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Simi Valley, CA | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Plainfield, NJ | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Ashburn, VA | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Boston, MA | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| San Antonio, TX | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Rockville, MD | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
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